Weekly Newsletter - 1.15.2025

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CES 2025 RECAP  📅

Anna Peggram at CES 2025: Key Takeaways and Insights

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, with over 4,500 exhibitors and 141,000 attendees, once again proved itself as the epicenter of tech innovation. This year, AI was the undisputed star of the show, permeating every major announcement and innovation. As someone deeply invested in sales enablement and productivity, I couldn't help but draw parallels between what I saw and Hive Perform's mission: empowering sales teams through cutting-edge technology. Here are my top takeaways from CES 2025:

L'Oréal's Beauty Genius: AI Meets Personalization

L'Oréal unveiled its Beauty Genius technology, which leverages AI to offer personalized beauty advice, skin diagnostics, and virtual product try-ons. What struck me was how seamlessly this technology could enhance customer engagement—a priority for any sales-driven organization. For companies like Hive Perform, the takeaway is clear: personalization powered by AI isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a necessity. This aligns with our vision of tailoring sales insights to each rep, enabling them to connect with prospects more effectively.

NVIDIA's Agentic AI: Redefining Sales Productivity

NVIDIA’s keynote focused on Agentic AI, a transformative leap that promises to delegate routine tasks to AI agents. Imagine a world where sales reps can focus solely on selling, while AI handles administrative burdens. At Hive Perform, we’re exploring how similar technologies can shift sales reps’ time away from non-sales activities, boosting productivity and driving revenue. NVIDIA’s blueprint for Agentic AI reaffirmed our commitment to redefining sales productivity through intelligent automation.

Accenture's People, Process, Technology, and Data Framework

Accenture’s keynote introduced an evolved framework: People, Process, Technology, and Data. Data, now a critical pillar, underpins modern business strategies. At Hive Perform, we’ve long recognized the power of data in driving sales success. Our platform extracts deal insights from call recordings and CRM systems, enabling accurate forecasting and better decision-making. Accenture’s emphasis on data reinforces the importance of our data-centric approach to sales enablement.

Conversations with Sales Leaders: The Demand for Simplicity and Speed

Throughout CES, I had insightful discussions with sales leaders who echoed a common theme: the need for clear, actionable data insights. They expressed frustration over the time spent on admin tasks, longing for tools that prioritize selling over reporting. This feedback directly aligns with Hive Perform’s mission to provide concise, actionable sales insights that enhance visibility into team performance. By reducing time spent on data entry and analysis, we empower sales reps to focus on what they do best—closing deals.

Hive Perform: Empowering Sales Teams with AI

At Hive Perform, we’re on a mission to transform sales enablement. Our solution streamlines workflows, leverages AI to deliver actionable insights, and reduces the administrative burden on sales reps. By equipping teams with the tools they need to succeed, we help drive better performance and achieve greater sales success.

In case you missed us at CES 2025, do press the button below to connect! 🙂 

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 🌐

AI-Powered Devices Dominate Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcased a surge of AI-integrated devices, including TVs, cars, and home appliances. Tech giants like Google, Amazon, LG, and Hisense unveiled products featuring generative AI capabilities. Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, highlighted AI's rapid progression, introducing new AI hardware and foundational models. In the automotive sector, Amazon's Alexa, enhanced with large language models, is set to be integrated into BMW vehicles, while Qualcomm and LG announced AI-driven advancements in cars and televisions. Innovations also included a modular flying car by Xpeng AeroHT and an electronic spoon by Kirin to enhance flavors. Despite the enthusiasm, some analysts note that consumer demand for AI products remains cautious due to concerns about safety and reliability.

LG Electronics Leads Humanoid Robot Innovation with AI Advancements

LG Electronics is taking significant strides in the field of humanoid robotics by leveraging its advanced AI technologies. With its new AI agent, Q9, the South Korean company is pushing the envelope in robotics, aiming to revolutionize home use robots. Not merely content with its previous wheeled service robots like the CLOi ServeBot and GuideBot, LG is set to differentiate itself from competitors like Hyundai and Samsung by focusing on bipedal robots designed to work collaboratively with humans. This strategic move into humanoid robotics signifies LG's ambition to be a leading innovator in an increasingly competitive market.

In partnering with Microsoft, LG plans to enhance its AI capabilities, making its humanoid robots more versatile across various environments, such as homes, offices, and hotels. This collaboration intends to drive technological innovation across the globe, marking a pivotal moment in AI development. LG's emphasis on cognitive and articulation technologies is evident in the planned rollout of Q9, which could also sync with LG’s smart home platform, ThinQ.

Recruiting & Retaining A Killer Sales Team - Live at PPAI Expo 2025

Nicole Rhooms, HR director at PPAI, moderated a panel on “Future Ready Sales: Recruiting and Retaining a Killer Sales Team.” The panel discussion unpacked the secrets to recruiting top sales talent, building a high-performing team and retaining the best in the business.

Key strategies included fostering a strong employee value proposition, leveraging referral programs, and creating a culture of transparency and collaboration across sales teams. Panelists emphasized hiring slow, firing fast, balancing inside and outside sales roles, and effectively managing multi-line key accounts. To prevent burnout, companies highlighted strategies such as Summer Fridays, sabbaticals, and maintaining clear work-life boundaries. The session also covered inclusive hiring practices, emphasizing diverse recruitment channels and team interviews. The discussion wrapped up with insights on commission-only structures, providing value to sales reps, and leveraging internal support systems to drive sales success.

INDUSTRY NEWS 📰

TCL Unveils Cutting-Edge Displays, Smart Tech, and AI at CES 2025

TCL Electronics unveiled cutting-edge display and smart home technologies at CES 2025, showcasing innovations like QD-Mini LED TVs, AI-powered companion robots, and sustainable designs. Notable advancements include the world's largest QD-Mini LED TV and new AI integration with Google's Gemini, reinforcing TCL's leadership in the global electronics industry.

The Strategies to Tackle Electronics Component Obsolescence

Obsolescence in the electronics components industry presents a significant, ever-escalating challenge that disrupts supply chains across various sectors. With advancements in technology, notably in AI and semiconductor processes, older components are swiftly becoming obsolete, a concern exacerbated by shrinking node sizes and consumer demand variations. The lattice of issues unfolds further with market volatility, geopolitical tensions, such as the U.S-China trade war, and environmental regulations, all contributing to production constraints and forcing organizations to adopt strategic approaches.

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